Beta-reader: SymphoniaFreak

Chapter: Three – Dragged Into Their Journey

Type: Story – Incomplete

Word Count: 3,020

Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

Last Edited: February 7, 2016

Note: I just wanted to respond to a guest review by first saying that no offense was taken, I appreciate the input. To clarify a little, Sakura here is age 15, and this is AU in the respect that Sasuke never went rogue but Team Seven still picked up Sai. As pointed out it would be unusual for the team to have troubles with sound nin, so perhaps I can make my thoughts when I wrote that a little clearer. In my mind there were two teams of Sound nin, and it wasn't so much that the team had trouble with them, it's simply that in the course of the battle the scroll was set off, why exactly the scroll reacted will be revealed later on.

Imagine my surprise when I didn't even make it down the first few steps that led to the road. "Miss."

I paused, glancing back over my shoulder to see the father that was now the owner of the town standing there, the door shut behind him. For a big guy, he was pretty quiet; I almost didn't hear him. Or maybe it was just me, what with being in a completely different kind of society and already having so much on my plate. "Yes?"

He gestured for me to climb the steps even as he settled in a seated position on the first one, his feet reaching the ground. I too seated myself, though I bent my knees so that my feet were flat against the boards of the next step. "You're the third plate, right?"

I blinked, taking only a moment to recall what he was talking about. When I did, I simply shrugged my shoulders. "I ran into them early this evening and they were kind enough to help me out with a small thug problem. But I don't want to intrude…"

His loud laugh had me jerking my head to him curiously. "Well aren't you a polite little thing."

A smile tugged at my lips. "I don't know how many would agree with that."

He waved his hand and I took a moment to marvel at how much bigger it clearly was than my own. "Those two don't seem the type to invite company on a whim."

Observant, no wonder he'd seen me leave and easily connected me to them. "I got that impression as well, but I need to sort some things out and I don't want to drag them into my problems." I wondered if that was simply the polite side of me speaking up, or the cautious one. Either way, it was true and that was all that really mattered in the end.

But he was watching me with a curious gaze that bespoke his seriousness on the matter. "Everyone's got things to sort out; maybe going with them will take you where you need to go."

I paused to assess that possibility; it had crossed my mind, but only in passing. If I did take that route where would it lead me? Would it take me to where I needed to go, would it lead me to my answers? And if it did, could I truly afford to let to strangers into my personal life? It would mean letting them see how weak I could be, and how strong I could get. I already knew that chakra wasn't an existing concept here, and that would cause problems as well. Chakra is natural a part of me, I've never given a second thought to how I use it on a daily basis. If I were to wander off on my own, I could use it like normal, with situational exceptions. If I stayed, it would be a closely guarded secret until I knew I could trust them enough for it not to be a problem.

I knew how to keep secrets. Could I lie about who I was to people I knew instinctively that I would get attached to?

I wasn't sure if that was something I could stomach, and something also told me that neither of the two boys took perceived betrayal well.

Shaking my head, I sought solace in the stars of the night. "I think it would, but I don't know if the end would justify the means."

The wood creaked and clothes rustled as I heard him climb to his feet, but I didn't look at him until I felt eyes on me. He offered me a hand, and I couldn't help the smile that came to my face as I took it. His grip was strong and sturdy almost to the point of seeming protective or menacing depending on the situation. On my feet once more, I watched as he let go of my hand and started for the tavern once more. "Maybe, maybe not. You won't know until you try, will you?" And then he was opening the door to head inside.

I turned my own gaze back to the endless sky, simply standing there for a moment as I let logic and reason weigh in my mind. I didn't know this land, how to get anywhere in it or even where to begin. This wasn't some vast forest I'd lost my way in or an underground maze; it was an entire foreign country that I clearly didn't know the first thing about. Hell, I didn't even know if I was on the same continent as the Elemental Nations.

Sure I would be constantly on guard around the two brothers, and even then I would still probably be caught. But if I got to know them, I would know what I was risking by sticking around. And as the adage went, it was better to stick with the devil you knew as opposed to the one you didn't. If nothing else, I could gain their trust and let them in without making it into a huge betrayal or misunderstanding. As was already established, Edward had moral compass that seemed to point north and he had to be in a powerful position for the way he had acted towards the previous governor. These were both facts that could be the difference between finding myself a test subject or something worse and finding my boys along with a way home.

After another moment, I sighed. And without another thought on the matter, I turned back to the tavern and went to ask the owner what room the Elrics were occupying.

At my question, he grinned and winked, as if to tell me that I'd made the right decision in his mind. I gave him a smile back, to assure him that I was willing to see if he was right. And with that I found myself quickly herded back to the boys, who had been given a back room that was a fairly decent size compared to the inn itself. As I made a beeline the table just a few feet to the right of the door and still had one plate left on it, it occurred to me to wonder why the boys had invited me. I'd already observed that they didn't do such a thing lightly, but I never thought to wonder at the reasoning behind it. Only the implications of what it meant.

I didn't need to look back to know the innkeeper had already retreated from the room, instead I glanced to the side to find the two boys were settled on the floor, their backs to their respective beds. They were facing each other and looked like they were discussing something important. Both had turned to me upon my entrance, Alphonse was curious whereas Edward seemed to have a knowing look about him.

"Where did you wander off to, Miss Sakura?" The younger brother asked; the armor made almost no noise despite the fact that he had twisted his upper body to face me. On the way to the in, I had noticed the distinct lack of sound that should have accompanied a fully metal suit, and it made me curious what the teenager was doing to achieve that. At the very least it bespoke years of being in the suit or ones like it gain such familiarity of being inside it.

I smiled lightly and shrugged my shoulders. "To get a little fresh air, you know, to help think about what I want to do from here." They didn't need to know that I was planning on leaving despite their invitation to join them to wherever they were going. "I must have lost track of time, sorry." Unfortunately, being a shinobi meant the ingrained act of weaving truths and lies into conversations with anyone who wasn't a trusted friend, and of course the fact that I had been in foreign politics a handful of times had sharpened my double-speaking abilities. All around, it was almost disconcerting to find how dishonest I naturally was towards others, yet I knew it couldn't be helped.

Edward's golden eyes were penetrating in a way I was used to when I was on the receiving end of Sasuke's scrutiny as he debated how much truth my words held. I mused absently if this boy before me was just as good at being able to discern the minuet differences. But I couldn't tell if the way he nodded his head acceptingly meant he believed me or not. I already knew I had to watch what I said and did, but as long as I stuck to the truth I would be just fine.

"What did you decide?"

I paused, choosing my words carefully as I answered. "I decided that your offer was kind, and that I would be happy to accept."

Edward shot me that weighing look again before grinning. I suppose he had found whatever he'd been looking for in my countenance. I just wish I knew so that I didn't contradict myself at the very least, and knew what would gain his trust at most. "Great, more the merrier. Right Al?"

The teen in question hummed. "I'm glad that we can have your company, Miss Sakura."

Their seemingly flippant but happy attitudes incited an urge to giggle at the two of them. Instead I smiled softly, realizing that they were very easy people to get along with if they weren't trying to be prickly, and people like that tended to bring a sense of belonging to people like me. I decided right then that even if I didn't find my boys while traveling with these guys, it would still be an enjoyable journey for however long it was going to last. And right now, that's what I need. People like me just don't do well alone for extended periods of time. That was a hard learned lesson that I have no intention of suffering through again unnecessarily.

Nodding to them, I turned to the food that I had neglected to focus on until after the little reunion was finished. It was a simple meal of beef and mashed potatoes, but it was far from anything that I was culturally used to. It seemed that there were a lot of things that I was going to have to just roll with. I suppose it helped that food had never been a problem for me to simply pick up and eat, as long as it wasn't spicy. Besides it wasn't what was being served to me but the fact this particular meal had been served without any of my input on the matter. Huh. Sometimes, knowing an interrogator-in-training could be pretty damn useful. I'd have to thank Ino for that as soon as I had the chance.

I settled easily into the wooden barstool and picked up the metal utensil that had been supplied with the plate. They weren't chopsticks, that much was certain. I debated for a moment of what I should do. It would be painstakingly obvious that I didn't know how to us these utensils if I tried. So make a fool of myself while trying to figure it out and then ask, or just ask right off the bat and explain that I didn't have these back home? I mentally snorted; when put in that context the answer seemed pretty clear. I examined the four metal prongs and then glanced at the meal; clearly it was made for stabbing. But then, why supply the knife? Unless one was used for cutting while the other kept the meat in place. But how did I use the silverware to get the food to my mouth? I could try using them together, but that just didn't seem right. Second option it was then.

I placed the utensils back in their places and glanced over at the Elric brothers. Edward was staring at me with an amused expression that stated he'd clearly noticed that I had no idea what to do with the serving materials I had been given to eat with. Smiling back helplessly at him, I shrugged nonchalantly. No sense in being embarrassed about not being able to use something I wasn't familiar with. "I've always used chopsticks, so I have no idea what to do with these." I pointed at the silverware to indicate what I was talking about.

At the mention of chopsticks, they both took on an intrigued look; like they were piecing implied information together and I'd just given them another puzzle piece. Rather than let me in on their thoughts, Edward smiled again, "The one with the prongs is called a fork, I'm sure you know the other one is a knife. You use the knife to cut the beef into pieces and then you stab it with the fork to put it in your mouth. You can use the fork to scoop up the potatoes." I let my eyes close as I realized that I'd been very close to the answer, and that it had been so simple. But of course it was. Just because they weren't chopsticks didn't mean they were supposed to be hard to figure out how to use.

When I opened my eyes, I shot him a grateful smile and a 'thank you' before digging in. One thing I was familiar with in this country was trains, and from my understanding we had a long way to travel on one of them tomorrow. So the hot, admittedly very delicious, meal was welcome. Not to mention the notion of a bed and shower.

Right then, I realized that I hadn't eaten or slept or anything before all this started. And before all this started, I'd been fighting with other shinobi. Right then, in the silence and able to take a breath, I realized I should be famished. I should be exhausted. I should feel like I need a shower and somewhere warm to cuddle up in. With everything, I should want to crawl under a fort and stay there until the world made sense again. Part of me was proud that I had the strength to keep my head up and not want to run or hide. Part of me knew that I could soldier through confusion and hardship without realizing how hard it all should feel. And part of me wondered if that didn't mean I was just a little bit number than I really ought to be. That last bit worried me. Being shinobi meant having to do things, whether I wanted to or not. Being a shinobi meant doing things I wouldn't like. Did being a shinobi mean changing, even a little, into something I didn't want to be?

I shoved the question aside because now was not the time to think about that. Now was the time to satisfy all those needs that I'd realized. And after food was a nice long shower. I remembered another door when I walked in, so I figured the possibility of that was pretty high. After that, I was going to sit down and get to know the Elrics a little better before we hopped on an enclosed, fast moving vehicle for a long period of time. Because as much as I knew I could use their trust and companionship, I knew they had to want mine too. And this invitation to stick with them for the time being did not, could not, mean I already had theirs. Trust after all, wasn't just a two way street; it was something precious to be earned.

So, refocusing on my meal, I dug into it heartily with intent to enjoy it because I did not know when I would get my next meal, and I savored how, despite the fact that it was a far cry from what I was used it, it was still delicious. It did not take long before I had polished of the entire plate and was double checking with the brothers that the door that I had spotted earlier did indeed lead to a bathroom. During my meal, I had listened to them bicker and converse between each other, occasionally contributing when I had something to add or had been asked for input, and as I readied for a shower, I could see they were both winding down. If there was any bonding to be done, it would be pillow talk and groggy conversation. With that presumption in mind, I decided I would rather take a nice long, hot shower and worry about building trust with them in the morning.

As I ducked into the bathroom and started the shower, I smiled. It was not home, but I had the feeling that the three of us could be good friends with a hell of a journey ahead of us. With the promise of tomorrow, I let the tension ease from my muscles and let my mind wander unworried. I would find my teammates, and I would make lifelong allies out of these two boys. These things I promised myself.